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Bachelor of Science in Secondary Social Science Education (Grades 6-12)

HISTORY, CIVICS AND SALT
It only takes a spark. And that interest in politics, a public issue or a foreign culture could lead to a student’s lifetime commitment to voting, volunteering or a career in public service. Social studies teachers decode the adult world of politics, economics and culture that liberals and conservatives debate daily and passionately in the media and the public square. If Christians are to effectively contend for the faith in a society that is increasingly articulating secular values, we must be salt in the classrooms where worldviews begin to form. How teens and pre-teens are presented with history, cultural shifts and current events can profoundly influence their opinions and the choices they will make as young adults. If God has given you a passion for both the world and the future of the world—the youth—Southeastern can help you mold your interests into a life-inspiring career.

FROM THE CURRICULUM TO THE CLASSROOM
Southeastern’s secondary social science program begins with our Christ-centered liberal arts (general education) core curriculum, where you develop an understanding and appreciation of God and His creation, human creativity and reason, and our place of responsibility as stewards in the world God has made. As you forge links between what you’ve learned in the core and the more specialized courses in your major, our hope is that you also begin to relate all that you learn to your life and your faith.

Within the secondary social studies program itself, you’ll learn how to motivate and manage sixth- through 12th-graders, design and deliver lessons, and assess learners. You will build upon your exposure to history and other social sciences gained through Southeastern’s core curriculum by studying government, economics, cultural anthropology and other topics. You also will study how to effectively teach students of other cultures and different abilities. Southeastern will arrange for you to spend many hours in local middle and high school classrooms where you will observe topnotch teachers, instruct students and be mentored. Your training will culminate with student teaching, a 14-week assignment to a classroom where you’ll plan and teach lessons and manage and assess learners.

WHAT'S NEXT?
All of Southeastern’s education graduates who stayed in Polk County, Florida this past year received teaching positions. Ninety-five percent of our education majors earn Florida teacher certification, which enables them to teach in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and at Department of Defense schools. Our graduates serve as public and private school educators around the country and abroad in Germany, Italy, Korea, and Costa Rica. Some of our graduates choose to teach in human resources departments in the private sector. Whether you elect to seek employment or choose to go on for graduate study, you’ll join a growing group of Southeastern alumni who are making their mark in education and other fields. Take a look at what some of our secondary social studies alumni are doing now:

• Sixth-grade social studies teacher at Rochelle School of the Arts, Lakeland, FL
• Tenth-grade social studies teacher at Auburndale High School, Auburndale, FL
• Assemblies of God missionary

CATALOG DESCRIPTION AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS

This program is available:

“Subjects like history, government, economics, civics, social studies, and so on can have a very powerful effect on young minds. Social science education majors should prepare themselves well in these areas and in such a way that their teaching of these subjects promotes Judeo-Christian principles and values—not necessarily to evangelize, but to follow an oft-stated goal here at Southeastern to ‘be salt.’”
—Dr. Ken Myers, Assistant Professor of History